Social Studies: Indus Valley Civilization Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is subcontinent?
A large landmass that is set apart from the rest of the continent
What is a river system?
A main river and all the other rivers and streams that drain into it
What is a monsoon?
Seasonal winds that bring rain to the Indian subcontinent during parts of the year
What is a granary?
A special building used to hold grain
What is a citadel?
A fortified area
What is an achievement?
An accomplishment that requires effort or skill
What is evidence?
Information used to prove something
What countries are in South Asia?
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan
Which 2 river valleys did India’s first civilization grow around?
Hindus and Saraswati.
Why did many ancient civilizations grow around rivers?
Many early civilizations grew around rivers, including Sumer, Egypt, Indus Valley and China.
This is because rivers provided rich and fertile soil which is suitable for agriculture.
Food surpluses grew with agriculture, leading to growth of settlements into cities along the river.
Rivers also allowed people to travel far to trade.
Which civilization came after the Hindus and Saraswati civilization?
Civilizations in the Ganges Plain became the center of Indian civilization
Describe the climate in the Indian Subcontinent.
Mostly tropical, with Monsoon winds shaping life in the region.
Summer monsoons bring rain, which provide water for crops and cools the intense heat.
What mountains separate the Indian Subcontinent from the rest of Asia?
Himalayas and Hindu Kush
What innovations or technologies were used in the Indus Valley civilizations?
Cities were planned and well organized in a grid system with wide straight streets, protected by thick walls.
Many houses had a bathroom, toilet and trash chutes, and the city had one of the earliest sewer systems.
They had a system of weights and measurements that were similar to today’s metric system.
Their farmers built channels and ditches for irrigation, and stored crops in granaries. They may have been the first to grow cotton to make cloth.
What was the biggest city in Indus Valley civilization?
Mahenjo-Daro
True or false: Indus Valley farmers did not raise animals.
False.
They raised cattle, goats, sheep and chicken for food.
What were the major goods that traders from Indus Valley trade?
Jewelry, cotton cloth, and teak wood.
How did Indus Valley traders reach places as far as Mesopotamia?
They traveled by sea.
What are some of the major questions that we cannot answer about the Indus Valley civilizations?
We don’t know what form of government existed, or much about their religion, or how to read their writings, or what caused the civilization to disappear.
What are some possible explanations of what caused the civilization to disappear?
- Disease caused by mosquitoes that grew in standing water in drains weakened the population.
- People cut too many trees, leaving them with no wood for fuel or building materials. Lack of forests also could have caused severe floods.
- Mismanaging their cattle might have caused over-grazing, making it difficult to grow crops.
- Climate change and drought, causing people to move to the Ganges.
